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I don't try to stay cold. I treat cold exposure very much like exercise sessions with complete 'rest' between sessions.

I'll take that comment on board, do a cold workout, then allow the body recovery and repair time.
But I still want to get the heat feeling in the body at 4am calling me to a cold dip, I have got over the fear of a cold dip, but still a long way from having the desire.

"There are no short cuts to enlightenment, the journey is the destination, you have to walk this path alone"

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I'll take that comment on board, do a cold workout, then allow the body recovery and repair time.
But I still want to get the heat feeling in the body at 4am calling me to a cold dip, I have got over the fear of a cold dip, but still a long way from having the desire.

Well I am also using the blue blocker lenses in the early evening an hour or so before sunset. They do help to get an early start on my 9 pm bed time. The blue blockers help with the deep sleep and early wake up. My early to bed and predawn wakeup routine is not completely natural but mandatory for me if I am to harvest the cool air which doesn't exist here at later times in the day.

I started to feel the heat across my shoulders and neck about two weeks after I started cold exposure. It is only recently, however, that it is coincident with waking up anticipating my cold 'swim'. Some mornings though I don't respond to the opportunity and just sleep in. I look forward to that becoming less and less frequent.

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Well I am also using the blue blocker lenses in the early evening an hour or so before sunset. They do help to get an early start on my 9 pm bed time. The blue blockers help with the deep sleep and early wake up. My early to bed and predawn wakeup routine is not completely natural but mandatory for me if I am to harvest the cool air which doesn't exist here at later times in the day.

I started to feel the heat across my shoulders and neck about two weeks after I started cold exposure. It is only recently, however, that it is coincident with waking up anticipating my cold 'swim'. Some mornings though I don't respond to the opportunity and just sleep in. I look forward to that becoming less and less frequent.

We are into winter here, so cold air is no problem, though the latitude & location where I am is quite mild compared to where I was before, semi alpine, even so people think I am a bit strange walking around in shorts and short sleeves.
I am working towards getting into a dawn routine where I do a good 2km ride, then my standard obsticle course on the rocks around the headland, then a steep hill with some flat for a good sprint, then the downhill to test braking power, about 2km on foot all up and finish this with a swim in the ocean pool for 30 min or so, the pool is currently in the low 50's, unless the high tide comes in which warms it up a bit as the ocean is around the 60 mark, then ride home, this all takes about 60min.
Currently as I am free it tends to be a lunchtime process, but I want to push it to the morning start as I do need to go out and get a job again and pay my way in the world.
I do think I am on the cusp of feeling the desire, but cold is a real "shitter", so hard to fight instinct, not much different to the sugar driver though I suppose or any other instinct or addiction, when you recognise it is there, then you can deal with it.

"There are no short cuts to enlightenment, the journey is the destination, you have to walk this path alone"

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So whats the protocol when you spot ice too long and you do end up with some white hard skin?

So far, I have only had pinkish/redish skin. Just really cold, not freezer burnt I can spot ice for hours, but I am doing it while watching tv and on the computer, so I move it around. I freeze an oblong foodsaver bag, and I keep that inside a pillow case.

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So, somewhat random question but this seems to be the right thread. I currently do not have access to a tub and have thus been taking either a cold shower or a hot/cold contrast shower (2 min or so hot, then 2min or more cold) most nights for two weeks. I've found that I very quickly adapted, i.e. the cold water really can't get too cold for me anymore.

The problem is that I measured the temp last night and the coldest water was only 75F (I live in the tropics). I'm trying to also stimulate BAT as I'm at about 24-25% body fat and want to get down to about 15% pronto while putting on more lean mass, so hoping for some metabolic response from the BAT.

So, lacking a tub and ice (ice sounds like a huge PITA anyway), does anyone have any suggestions on how I can push towards greater cold adaptation? Welcome your thoughts.

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The problem is that I measured the temp last night and the coldest water was only 75F (I live in the tropics).

Are you near the ocean? If so, swim there often. Especially early morning when it's coldest and walk around wet afterwards. If ocean swims aren't an option, I can't help much other than what you are doing. Maybe after your cold shower, stand in front of a fan to dry off. Evaporation is a cooling process. If you are getting at least goosebumps you are doing OK.

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So, somewhat random question but this seems to be the right thread. I currently do not have access to a tub and have thus been taking either a cold shower or a hot/cold contrast shower (2 min or so hot, then 2min or more cold) most nights for two weeks. I've found that I very quickly adapted, i.e. the cold water really can't get too cold for me anymore.

The problem is that I measured the temp last night and the coldest water was only 75F (I live in the tropics). I'm trying to also stimulate BAT as I'm at about 24-25% body fat and want to get down to about 15% pronto while putting on more lean mass, so hoping for some metabolic response from the BAT.

So, lacking a tub and ice (ice sounds like a huge PITA anyway), does anyone have any suggestions on how I can push towards greater cold adaptation? Welcome your thoughts.

Do you have access to a freezer and some ice packs? If so, you could spot ice - put a freezer pack on the back of your neck to stimulate BAT, and another on any 'problem areas' like tummy love handles, etc... Just follow the advice on how to avoid frostbite (don't put the freezer packs directly on skin, make sure skin is pink/red, not white...)

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So far, I have only had pinkish/redish skin. Just really cold, not freezer burnt I can spot ice for hours, but I am doing it while watching tv and on the computer, so I move it around. I freeze an oblong foodsaver bag, and I keep that inside a pillow case.

Yeah, I wasn't paying attention. I grabbed an ice pack and slapped it on. About a half hour later I thought I should check, and damn if the skin wasn't completely white, numb, and hard. I went under warm water immediately and it got red and "thawed" pretty quick. Still red today and feels like a sunburn. No blisters though, and I do have feeling so I think I may not have to amputate my fat.

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Have been having only cold showers since April, walking 3km each morning and evening in short sleeves (Latitude S34) and generally wearing as little clothes as I can with minimal heating (ie only when another family member turns on a bar heater - no central heating at home).

Benefits so far have been massive improvement in frozen shoulder (bit of irony there) and have had to tighten the belt a notch over the last few days, despite weight being stable (no need to lose). Oh and great tolerance of cold. Am making others uncomfortable sitting outside at the pub of an evening in my short sleeves while they're all rugged up. Let's see if I can get a show of abs by the end of winter

Slowly, slowly catchee monkey

Four years Primal with influences from Jaminet & Shanahan and a focus on being anti-inflammatory. Using Primal to treat CVD and prevent stents from blocking free of drugs.

Yeah, I wasn't paying attention. I grabbed an ice pack and slapped it on. About a half hour later I thought I should check, and damn if the skin wasn't completely white, numb, and hard. I went under warm water immediately and it got red and "thawed" pretty quick. Still red today and feels like a sunburn. No blisters though, and I do have feeling so I think I may not have to amputate my fat.

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Yeah, I wasn't paying attention. I grabbed an ice pack and slapped it on. About a half hour later I thought I should check, and damn if the skin wasn't completely white, numb, and hard. I went under warm water immediately and it got red and "thawed" pretty quick. Still red today and feels like a sunburn. No blisters though, and I do have feeling so I think I may not have to amputate my fat.

I must have an exceptionally tough hide - I routinely put multiple frozen-as-a-rock ice packs directly on my skin and have yet to have a problem - I gave that caveat knowing most people aren't quite so lucky. I wonder if I'm some kind of superwoman in disguise...

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I must have an exceptionally tough hide - I routinely put multiple frozen-as-a-rock ice packs directly on my skin and have yet to have a problem - I gave that caveat knowing most people aren't quite so lucky. I wonder if I'm some kind of superwoman in disguise...

Well mine was one of those gel packs that you are suppose to keep in the cloth sleeve....which I didn't (says right on the pack DO NOT put directly on skin). The other factor is I've never iced fat before. I've only used it on sprain strains....not on my most padded points. Dunno if that made a difference. It was really weird though to look down at my stomach and see a white lump of hard as a rock skin with indentations and wrinkles from the pack